Ball ejector



March 28, 1939.

mill H *M -cial E. F. SEARS BALL EJECTOR Filed April 4, 1958 Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIca 2 Claims. .(Cl. 20G-42)` My invention relates to ball ejectors, and more particularly to an ejector for containing and discharging small metal balls that are used in the refined bearings of electric meters and the like. Certain objects of the invention are to provide a ball ejector comprising novel means for discharging one ball ata time, andl novel means for preventing dust and other foreign matter from entering theejector. Further objects are to provide a ball ejector that may be filled with balls from their original containers and which may be discharged from the ejector directly into bearings without ever being touched by human hands. Other objects are to provide a transparent ball containing chamber for the ejector whereby the balls are visible and it may thus be seen when the chamber needs reiilling. Still further objects are to provide a ball ejector which is easy to use and never fails in its operation. which consists vof only four parts and there is nothing to get out of order, which is simple and economical to manuacture, and which is small and may be conveniently carried in the vest pocket.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the use of the ball ejector;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in central longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a View in front end elevation;

Fig. 4 is a view in transverse section taken substantialy on the broken line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation and showing the method of filling the ball chamber with balls from their original vial container.

Referring in detail to the drawing wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts in the several views, the numeral 5 designates the cylindrical barrel on the device which is hollowed by a ball containing chamber 6 extending nearly its full length. The forward open end 1 of the barrel is reduced and is beveled around its inner edge. 'Ihis barrel is made of pyralin, Celluloid, amber or the like, and is thus transparent or translucent so that the metal balls 8, which are placed in its chamber, are visible and the need for refilling the chamber becomes obvious at all times. As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing, the chamber is relled directly from a small vial 9, in which the balls are originally purchased, by inserting the reduced open end of the barrel into the mouth of the vial and lightly shaking the vial sideways while in the vertical position. The chamber 6 is large enough for the balls to freely move back and forth without passing each other.

'Ihe reduced open end 1 of the barrel 5 is eX- ternally threaded to receive the internally threaded end of` a metal discharge member I0. This discharge member has the same cross sectional diameter as that of the cylindrical barrel, and is 5"* ward end portion I2 of the discharge member is 10 cylindrically reduced in an eccentric or offset manner with respect to the said central passage. A dust cap I3 is revolubly installed on said reduced end portion and is prevented from slidable movement by a pin I4 xed into said end and 15T' projecting outwardly through a transverse slot I5 provided in the said dust cap. The outer end of the dust cap has a hole I6 which is arranged to register with the discharge end of the passage I I. 'I'he pin I4 is positioned in a longitudinal plane passing through the center of the discharge member I0 and its reduced end portion I2. The transverse slot I5 is of such length that, when the dust cap I3 is turned to the left, as viewed from its forward end, until the right hand end of said slot contacts the pin I4, the dust cap hole I6 registers exactly with the discharge end of the passage II as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, and, when said dust cap is turned to the right until the other end of said slot contacts the pin, the 30 discharge end of the passage is closed, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The means for discharging one ball 8 at a time consists of a thumb-screw Il, having a knurled head I8. This screw is also centrally positioned 35 in the common plane passing through the center of the discharge member I0 and its reduced end portion I2, and through the pin I4, and is threaded transversely into the discharge member past its central passage II, thus forming an ob- 40 struction to said passage. Said screw is provided with an annular recess I9 which conforms with the central passage II and is deep enough to completely receive one of the balls 8, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer peripheral surface of the dis- 45 charge member is slightly counter-sunk to form a flat surface at 20 which serves as a seat for the thumb-screw head I8. When said screw is completely set up and its head rests against said flat surface, its annular recess I9 registers with the 50 passage II and is in a position to receive one of the balls 8 from the ball containing chamber 6 of the barrel 5. In this position, an arrow 2I, which is marked on top of the screw head I8, is in longitudinal alignment with and points toward the barrel 5, as shown in Fig. 2, thus indicating that the screw is in the ball receiving position.

In the use of my device and referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the barrel 5 of the ejector is held between the fore and middle iingers, and the thumb-screw head I8 is held between the thumb and forenger of one hand. The dust cap I3 is rst turned to the left until its discharge opening I6 registers with the discharge end of the passage II, and with the pin I4 bearing against an end of the tranverse slot I5. A cup bearing 22, such as used to support the spindle or arbor of rotary registering wheels in electric meter boxes, is held between the thumb and foreiinger of the other hand. The device is then held with its discharge end in an inclined position and in juxtaposition with the said cup bearing. The thumb-screw is then turned a half revolution to the left, whereby the arrow 2| is reversed in direction from its rearwardly pointing position and points forward toward the discharge end of the device, thus indicating that its recess I9 has been moved from the receiving to the discharging position. In so doing, this recess carries one ball around which rolls out of the passage II and hole I6 and drops into the cup bearing 22. After depositing this one ball, the dust cap is reversed to the closed position, for the exclusion of dust and all foreign matter, and the thumb-screw I9 is 4likewise reversed to the receiving position.

The electric meter bearing 22 is refined and delicate and is provided with a jewel seat for one ball only, and upon which an end of the spindle of a rotary meter wheel rests. It is therefore very important that all foreign matter be absolutely excluded from this bearing and from the balls that are deposited into these bearings. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided means whereby the balls are placed yin the ejector and discharged therefrom, one by one, without being contacted by human hands or exposed to any foreign matter whatever.

I claim:

1. A ball ejector consisting of a slender elongated barrel having a ball containing chamber extending substantially the full length thereof, said chamber limited ln cross sectional area to the passage of one ball at a time, a discharge member threadedly connected to said barrel and having a passage therethrough equal to and forming a continuation of the ball chamber, said discharge member having a reduced end portion, a dust cap installed on the outer reduced end of the discharge member, a thumb-screw threaded transversely into the discharge member and forming an obstruction of its passage, and said thumb-screw having a single recess therein equal in size to said passage and arranged to be alternatively brought into registration therewith and with the ball containing chamber by rotating the thumb-screw in reverse directions.

2. A ball ejector consisting of a slender elongated transparent barrel having a ball containing chamber extending substantially its full length, said barrel having a reduced threaded end portion that is interiorly beveled around the outer edge of the ball containing chamber, said chamber limited in cross sectional area to the passage of one ball at a time, a discharge member threadedly connected to the reduced threaded end of the barrel and having a passage therethrough equal to and forming a continuation of the ball chamber, said discharge member having an eccentrically reduced end portion, a dust cap installed on the outer reduced end of the discharge member, said dust cap having a hole in its outer end and stop means for bringing said hole into registration with the outlet end of the passage through the discharge member, a thumb-screw threaded transversely into the discharge member and forming an obstruction of its passage, said thumb-screw having a single recess therein equal in size to said passage and arranged to be alternatively brought into registration therewith and with the ball chamber by turning the thumbscrew in'reverse directions, and said thumb-screw having a knurled head with a direction arrow thereon for indicating the direction in which the thumb-screw is turned.

EDWARD F. SEARS. 

